


The Bachelor-What?

by aubrey7611



Category: The Bachelorette (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 17:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20246476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aubrey7611/pseuds/aubrey7611
Summary: This story is about a bachelorette, Aven, going onto the popular tv show, The Bachelorette, but with a twist. She is bisexual and looking for love from both genders. She wants to show that not only male to female relationships exist. Join her on her journey to find love on The Bachelor-What?





	The Bachelor-What?

I kept jumping up and down in the seven inch heels they gave me. It hurt, but it was worth it. The pain kept me in the moment and not so much in my head. “Control yourself, Aven. You’re doing this. You’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” I said to myself. I shook my wrists as I jumped up and down, trying to shake off the growing anxiety.  
The master of ceremonies for the television show walked over to me. I met him about a month ago when he told me I was going to be the next bachelorette. He was nice, but a little caught off guard when I told him I’m bisexual. “The show never had a cast with both genders. Are you absolutely sure you want this?” I couldn’t tell if he was questioning my sexuality or my decision to have men and women on the show at once. He told me I could run how the show goes. I knew the moment I said it to him I wanted it. I’m not going to change who I am for the rest of the country. It’s not like I’m trying to be the president.  
“How are you feeling, Aven? Are you ready for this?” He asked me. His gray hair shined from the lights the crew placed outside. I made contact with his icy blue eyes. They made me feel a little more calm, as if I wasn’t doing this completely on my own.  
“I’m alive. I just want it to start and get it over with,” I said to him.  
He smiled at me. “I don’t think that’s how this show works. The contestants are ready. Are you ready to meet your possible future husband or wife?”  
I stopped jumping and took a deep breath in, “Let’s go,” I told him.  
He walked me around the large fountain I’ve seen on Television so many times. It felt so surreal, seeing the driveway and all of the lights around me. I felt my stomach drop a little. What if none of them like me?  
“Okay, I will see you later. Good luck and take a few deep breaths,” Chris Harrison said as he walked away from me.  
I stood by myself, staring at the brick driveway. I didn’t hesitate to look up at the sky to try to find some solace. It was a little cold outside, so I started to shiver. “God, please let this be right,” I said to myself.  
I heard the sound of wheels rolling over stone which kicked me out of my nervous prayer. “Alright, let's do this, Aven,” I whispered. The sleek, black limo pulled up and parked in front of me.  
The door opened quickly, leaving me no time to consider running into the house, away from this new event I put myself in. I saw her silver heel before I saw her face. From her heel alone, I saw her beautiful dark skin and immediately thought of warmth and hugs. My stomach fluttered with excitement when she completely stepped out of the vehicle and I could see her smiling face. Her hair looked as soft as a puppy’s. I wanted to play with the natural curls filled with highlights and undertones. I was so stuck on her hair that I didn’t even look at her kelly-green, floor length dress. It allowed me to see part of her toned, muscular leg. It’s safe to say the first contestant is beautiful. I’m excited to see if the others can even compare to her.  
“My name is Amari,” she said as she held her hand out to me. I placed the tips of my fingers in her palm and she placed her sticky lips on the back of my hand, kissing it. I tried not to laugh, but when she let go, she seemed shocked to see a dark brown lip stain present itself on the back of my hand. I let a giggle slip through. She smiled back at me. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”  
“You, too,” I said. Then she walked away from me. “Alright, one down. Eleven more to meet.”  
A shiny, black dress shoe stepped out of the limo followed by a man in a dark blue suit. He had a black bow-tie coming out of his collar. His dark brown hair was slicked back. The man gave me very spiffy vibes. I’m not sure entirely what that means yet, but I’ll find out eventually.  
“Hello, Princess,” he said to me with a side smile.   
“Hi,” I said hesitantly. I was a little taken aback and confused by the new nickname.  
He didn’t lose his cocked smile as he moved his hand to his pocket. I noticed a circular bulge sticking out. It concerned me a little.  
“My name is Konstantin and I’m ready to give you my world,” he said as he pulled a miniature globe out of his pocket. He handed it to me, looking a little nervous, but not letting go of his smile. I laughed a little as I took the globe from him, unsure of what possible future would come from Konstantin.  
The next woman’s dress caught my attention before she did. Her floor length dress reflected the entire world, blinding me when she moved a certain way. It wasn’t until she stood face to face with me that I really noticed her features.  
“Hi,” she said with a sweet smile, “my name is Emilia, but you can call me Mi.”  
“Mimi, that’s easy,” I said with a smile as her soft hands took hold of mine.  
She giggled a little and shook her head. “No, just Mi, silly.”  
I took my hand back and pointed at her with a finger gun saying, “YOU got it.” I immediately put my hands down to my side as she walked into the house. I hope they don’t air that interaction on live television because that was embarrassing on my part. Jokes are not my forte.  
The limo pulled away as I felt my face slowly grow hotter. Nothing better than having my first encounter with someone be extremely awkward.  
Several other limos came and went, all holding very beautiful and interesting people who I hope to talk to more inside of the house. I counted on my hands how many people entered and I realized only eleven did. That means one more person needs to greet me.  
Soon enough, I heard police sirens from the end of the driveway. I ran from my spot so I could see the entrance. Coming towards me at a fast pace was a black and white sheriff's car with the lights on top spinning. I ran back to my spot in my heels that were too big for me. It was more like educated hopping. On one of my hops to safety, my ankle twisted and I lost balance.  
“Aven!” I heard a deep voice shout my name. “Girl, are you okay? Hold on, I’m coming!” A tall, blonde man in a police uniform came after me. His biceps were about the size of my head and I couldn’t see half of his face because he had aviators on. His hair was slicked back into his cap. He scooped me up from the ground, politely moving the fabric of my dress to help me stay decent.  
Honestly, my ankle was fine. I’m just a dumbass who can’t walk in heels to save my life. The picking up was highly unnecessary, too. I’m not a huge fan of being lifted, either. I’m small and I enjoy being close to the ground, mostly because being lifted is uncomfortable. I gave the man a smile to be polite. “Thanks,” I said. “What’s your name?”  
He stepped back two paces and put his hands on hips. In a loud tone he said, “Hello, Princess Aven, I am your personal police officer!” As he said officer, he put his hand to his forehead in salute. “Call me, Sheriff Grey!” Grey pulled his aviators off as he finished his salute, showing me his dark gray eyes. Although I did not fully appreciate the introduction, he is definitely beautiful.  
“Well, thank you for coming Sheriff Grey,” I said with a smile. “I’m very happy to meet you.” I gave him a hug and he made his way into the house with the rest of the contestants.  
Chris came back out and placed his hand on the small of my back. “You made it! You met everyone! Are you ready to go in and have your first cocktail party?”  
I gave him a cheesy smile, feeling unsure about this whole thing. “As ready as I’ll ever be I guess.” Then we walked into the house together.  
The small talk chatter noticeably halted as I walked into the room and all eyes found me. The attention was a bit unnerving.   
“Ladies,” Chris began. “Gentlemen. Tonight begins a special journey between all of you and Aven.” He turned to me. “Aven, the floor is yours.” He gestured to the crowd and stepped away.  
I let out a small chuckle, realizing it was up to me now to hold the floor. “Thank you all for being here with me. I know this is a bit different from the normal set-up, but . . . I’m excited to see where this leads.” The men and women lifted their glasses in a toast to my words, several nodded in understanding and agreement. As the contestants let the weight of the situation sink in, one woman set her glass down and stepped forward. Priya. I remembered her long, silky, black hair.   
She put her hand out towards me. “Aven, do you mind if we talked for a bit?”  
“Of course!” I blurted, a bit nervous myself. I took her hand and she smiled as she led me away. We found a cozy spot out by the pool. The lights shimmered on the water and a warm breeze played with my hair as we sat together.  
I didn’t expect the house to look this nice. I imagined some of it would look nice for the show and some of it would look like a normal house. I was completely wrong. We were definitely in a full size mansion, which is something I’ve never encountered before, and that pool is about the size of my apartment now that I think about it.   
I tried not to jump when I felt Priya’s hand land on my knee. Her brown eyes met mine as a soft smile grew across her face. “Aven, I just want you to know you look beautiful tonight.” She paused, giving my hands a small squeeze. “I’m really excited to get to know you more and see where this goes.”  
I could feel my cheeks getting red. “Thank you,” I said. I thought to myself, isn’t that the purpose of bringing me out here? She didn’t have to state it, but whatever makes her cozy I guess. I normally would speak my mind, but since this is my first conversation with her, that’s probably not the right thing to say.  
“So, I brought a little something for you,” she said, clapping her hands together.  
I sat up a little straighter. I like gifts. “You did?” I asked. “You didn’t have to.”  
She did a short giggle as she pulled something out of her red dress pocket. “I hope you like cookies.”  
My stomach dropped a little. I’m gluten intolerant. I like cookies, but my stomach definitely does not. I looked up and met Priya’s big, brown, expectant eyes. I put a smile on my face and took the bag from her. “I don’t usually like cookies, but I’ll eat one for you.” Her smile dropped a little when I said that. “Don’t feel bad! I’m just a little gluten intolerant, but I want to try it. It’s really okay,” I told her, realizing how much this stupid little cookie might mean to her.  
My mouth watered at the sight of the chocolate chip cookie. “You really know how to pick a girl’s favorite,” I said.  
She smiled widely and took one of the cookies from the bag. “They’re my favorite, too,” she said. “Here, I’ll eat one and you eat the other, that way it won’t hurt your stomach too much.”  
You just wanted a fucking cookie, I laughed to myself as I took a bite. They were warm, probably from being in her pocket, which made the cookie very moist. I have to give her credit, the cookie is really freaking good. I moaned, missing the taste of a real cookie.  
Suddenly, I heard footsteps walking toward us. I turned around and standing behind me was a tall, really-freaking-gorgeous, Indian man. I almost dropped the cookie. I wanted to touch his short, slick, black hair. The maroon suit did his undertones justice, making his skin glow. Or was that the water from the pool? Either way, I waited for him to ask to steal me away so I could say yes. I tried not to be too giddy about it, either. I thanked Priya with a hug and everything, even though, she gave me wheat cookies.  
“Remind me of your name one more time? I don’t want to say it wrong,” I told him.  
He smiled and took my small hand in his large, smooth one. “It’s Kashev.” I made a mental note in my head to make sure to say Kay-Shuv for the next time we would meet.  
“Hel-freaking-lo Kashev, it is so nice to see you again. You’re not going to give me a cookie, right?” I asked him. It probably was a weird question, but I realized that it’s important to mention, now.  
“Hello to you, too, gorgeous. No, I do not have a cookie for you. Did you want one?” His voice made me feel warm inside as he spoke.  
“Not at all. I had my share for the month just as you walked in on Priya and I,” I informed him.  
Kashev sat still for a few moments. I felt the cameras zoom in on us. I kept looking into his eyes, trying to decide if they were bottomless pits or openings to a new world. I’m a writer. Weird things like that come to my mind often.  
“What are you staring at, Darlin’?” He asked me as he locked eyes with me. I felt a shiver go up my spine.  
I felt the corner of my lip go up in a smirk and said, “Can you guess?”  
He shook his head, “No, I don’t think I can. You might need to tell me.”  
There was no way I was going to tell him. So, I let my eyes land on his lips. He understood what I was doing right away. Kashev leaned into me, wrapping his palm around the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him. Once I could taste his lips, I realized what his black eyes were trying to tell me. “Goodluck focusing on anyone else tonight.”  
I heard someone clear their throat behind me. It definitely was not Kashev. I was so close to him I would’ve felt it if he did. Kashev pulled away from me with a dissatisfied look on his face. “You can’t give us a moment?” He asked, sounding pretty annoyed. Granted, I was a little uncomfortable that someone approached us while we were kissing, but I wasn’t super upset by it. It’s supposed to happen during these things, right?  
“It’s alright, Kashev,” I said. He seemed to be unwilling to stand up and walk away from me. My heart fluttered as he left.  
I turned to the woman beside me who I assumed was the one who cleared her throat earlier. I stood and smiled, saying, “Hey, Christina.” I gave the tall, blonde haired, blue eyed, golden dressed goddess a hug. She felt rock hard in my arms. This woman is so chiseled.  
We sat down on the couch and I placed my hand on her knee. If anything, Kashev made me feel a little more comfortable about all this. I felt like I could finally open up.   
Christina smiled, showing perfect white teeth. Since her appearance is so perfect, something has to be wrong with her. She can’t be this pretty and have this great personality. It’s just not realistic. A person can’t have everything.  
I realized she was holding a bag in her hand, one I didn’t notice before. She placed it on top of my hand with a clank and I quickly removed my hand to rub it. I continued to smile nervously at her as she pulled out a . . . what are those heart measure things called? Stetho . . . stethoscope, right.  
“So, I am a pediatrician,” she said, “and I would love if I could measure your pulse and check your blood pressure.” She pulled out that horrible arm squeezy thing and I tried not to roll my eyes.  
“Is this because I’m so short?” I asked her. “I get it, you’re five-nine and gorgeous and I’m four-eleven and standard, but” she cut me off.  
“No, I want to show you part of my job. I thought it would be a cute way to get to know you. This is not supposed to make you feel small just because I’m a pediatrician.”  
I slumped my shoulders a little. I need to stop assuming things I guess. I let her check my heart beat. I felt her hand was a little too close to home, but I figured since she’s stating she’s a kids doctor, she probably won’t feel me up right here. Then she did the stupid arm thingy and I played along, allowing her to have her fun.  
“Well, am I all set, doc?” I asked her.  
Christina smiled and put her tools back in her bag. “You are in great health!”  
“Thank you,” I said, knowing I was generally healthy. “Why did you want to be a pediatrician of all doctor things?” I asked her.  
She smiled, seeming very excited that I asked that question. “Well, I believe if people are healthy and work hard, then that’s all the world needs. My mother was a nurse practitioner. I wanted to be like her, but not completely like her. I realized that if I was a pediatrician, I could be a bit like her, but get more money. So health and work are very important to me because of her.”  
“Oh, very nice,” was all I really had to say. Honestly, I don’t care that much about my health, so she is probably going to hate me once she realizes I eat what I want and I exercise when I want to. I’ll have to keep my eye on her to see if she’ll try to push me to do better. It’s the first night, though, so I shouldn’t worry too much. Plus, she’s freaking gorgeous, so I can get over the whole health thing I’m sure.  
“I’m going to get a drink,” I say to her as I stand up. “It’s been very nice talking with you.”  
I went back into the house and saw a couple people standing around, talking to each other. Their eyes all turned to me at once and I felt my face grow hot. “Hi,” I said. “Where are the drinks? I need a little something. Maybe a little alcoholic something would be nice.”  
The contestants took no time in offering me a variety of the refreshments on hand, suggesting everything from champagne to sparkling water. It wasn’t long before Amari whisked me away to sit and chat by the fireplace in a more private area of the mansion. Not only was she stunning in the firelight, but she’s got one hell of a sense of humor. The way she tells stories is very strange. She puts her whole body into setting up the story and she makes a lot of sounds, but she doesn’t really explain what she’s doing. It was actually pretty hilarious. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before a handsome fellow in uniform asked to cut in. Amari gave me a smile and offered her spot on the loveseat to the sheriff before leaving us to ourselves.   
Grey sat down beside me, offering one of the two cocktails in his hands. I graciously accepted and began sipping as he told me about some trivial things in his life. I could feel myself getting a bit tipsy at this point and growing a bit tired. I was glad he seemed fine with carrying the bulk of the conversation. After a few minutes, though, I think he realized I was a bit quiet. He put an arm around me and I naturally shifted into him. We talked about what we both are looking for in a potential partner and what we need in a relationship. I told him I just want a friend. He told me he wanted someone to support him. Overall, I felt comfortable talking with him, but I ended the conversation when I excused myself to the bathroom.   
Back out in the mingling room, I became everyone’s main attraction once again. It wasn’t long before a man with a square jaw with long and thin, piercing eyes walked over to me with a second drink in his hand. When he smiled, his mouth turned into a square, which sent a flutter in my stomach. “Would you like some champagne?” He asked me in a deep, husky voice. I almost didn’t say yes.  
After taking a sip of the champagne, I wanted to spit it out, but I held it in and sucked it down. Mike must have noticed the displeasure on my face from the drink. “You want some water instead?” He whispered in my ear, making me shiver because it tickled. I nodded my head in response. Mike left the room to get me water, so I was left standing alone again with everyone staring at me.  
In the corner of my eye, I saw a woman standing alone in a corner, sipping on the awful champagne. She had a light red glow to her face, which was really cute. I smiled to myself and walked over to her, taking a deep breath. She’s kind of small like me with thick, black hair, all tied up in a long braid over her shoulder. Her dark brown eyes looked up and pierced right into my soul. Part of me wanted to turn around and the other part of me wanted to know why she was alone.  
“Hello,” I said to her. “Why are you over here by yourself?”  
Her plump, pink lips merged into a tight line. “I’m not a fan of crowds,” was all she said.  
My stomach fluttered a little as I thought about what I would do next. I extended my hand to her, palm up. “Would you like to check out the pool with me then?” I asked.  
Her mouth quickly displayed a smile and then she tried to remain cool. I could tell I was doing something a little right when she placed her tiny hand in mine. My stomach dropped a little and part of me wanted to swoon over how small her hand was, but I stopped myself. Together, we walked out to the pool area.  
Once we walked outside, she looked up at the sky and a smile brightened her slightly pink face. Part of me could’ve kissed her right there when I saw her smile. “Wow,” she said with excitement. “Look at the moon! It’s so beautiful!”  
“When you smile, you’re almost as pretty as the moon,” I said, giggling at my own cheesiness. It was a dumb pick-up line, but I did it.  
She turned to me and gave me a look that said really?  
I felt my face turn just about as pink as hers. She walked closer to me and I noticed how close our faces really were. I could kiss her right now if I wanted to. Georgiana kept coming closer and closer to me. Our lips nearly brushed each other and then she pulled away. “I’ll see you inside,” she said, walking back inside the house.  
All of the tension fell out of me in that moment. It made me question everything I did in the last five minutes. “What the heck was that?” I whispered to myself.  
“There you are!” someone yelled from behind me. I turned around slowly, finally realizing that she was teasing me. A smile grew on my face, not from Mike coming towards me with water, but from the utter coolness of Georgiana.  
I tried to put on a smile for Mike. He really came at a bad time. “I brought you some water. Why’d you come out here?” He asked me.  
I shrugged my shoulders and took the water from him. “Fresh air, I guess. Everyone was staring at me.” I put the glass to my lips, taking that first blissful sip of cool water. It’s definitely what I needed after all those cocktails.   
He chuckled, taking a sip of his own glass. “You’ll have to get used to the eyes and the comments. You’re on television. This is being broadcasted eventually.” He pointed at the camera in front of us, it’s red dot staring back at me. I tried not to think about them too much, I wanted to take this experience for what it should be rather than just weekly entertainment across the country.  
“I know. I’ll get used to them eventually, I guess,” I say to him.  
He set his nearly empty glass down and gave me a sidelong glance as he led me around the pool to a quiet bench. “Why did you choose to come on this show? You’re twenty-one. You’re young. You didn’t want to experience the world more?”  
I was taken aback by what he said. That’s gutsy of him to say, considering he’s on the show himself and he’s trying to date me. “Well,” I said reluctantly, “I wanted to come on here because I like to meet people. Flirting is the best part of dating. My biggest problem with dating is that I like too many people at once. I thought this show would make it easier to weed out the bad ones. Also, I’ve always wanted to marry young. I’ve always wanted to be a mother.” My grip on my glass tightened a bit. I felt nervous about mentioning the motherhood thing. What if that scares him?  
“I see,” he said, shifting a bit in his seat. “Well, I don’t know if it’s smart to start a family so young, or to get married, but you are right about the flirting thing.” His eyes snapped back to mine. “I’m excited to be able to go on dates with you. What’s your ideal date?”  
This guy is so weird. He’s saying something that I wouldn’t like to hear and then saying something good to side track the negative things he’s saying. I’m done talking to this guy tonight. “Sitting in my own living room and watching a movie,” I told him, making direct eye contact before standing up with my now empty glass. “I think I wanna check out the living room. It’s been nice chatting with you, Mike.” Then I walked back into the mansion.  
After that conversation, I felt judged. So what if I’m twenty-one? People can find love anytime and anywhere. I’m here after all aren’t I? I kissed a guy already and I almost kissed a girl. Maybe they would be nice. They don’t seem to judge me so much.  
“Hi,” someone said out of nowhere. I was a bit startled to say the least, I hadn’t been paying any attention to where I was walking. I looked up from the foot of the staircase to see Emmanuel staring at me. “How’s tonight going, Aven?” He asked me. I smiled, feeling relieved that someone actually asked me how I’m doing. I feel like I need to let these thoughts out. I walked upstairs and we sat on one of the red couches together.  
“I’m a little upset,” I told him. Emmanuel is kind of tall and lanky compared to the other guys. I kind of liked it.   
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and placed a hand on my knee while facing me. “Why? What’s going on? Do we need to fight someone?”  
He made me laugh, which was nice after my conversation with Mike. “No, it’s fine. I just feel a little judged about being on the show. I told Mike that I’m twenty-one and that I want to be a mother. He told me I’m too young, basically.” I don’t know why I’m telling this person everything. This is my first conversation with him. He’s going to think I’m a cry baby.  
“That’s so stupid and hypocritical. He’s only a year older than you.” He paused a second, getting his own thoughts together. “Also, if you feel ready for marriage and a family, then you do. It’s not his decision.”  
He made me feel so much better after he said that. It put a huge smile on my face. “You know what? You’re right. Thanks,” I said. His soft brown eyes gave me butterflies. I leaned into his open arms and pecked him quickly on the lips. He’s the second man I’ve kissed tonight.  
Emmanuel smiled to himself. He moved his hand on my knee, up to my jaw. Emmanuel brought me forward and he kissed me slowly. It sent more butterflies in my stomach than kissing Kashev did. I feel like I could get used to it.  
I heard someone clear their throat and I wanted to roll my eyes. I pulled away from Emmanuel to see who it was. Standing at the top of the staircase was Ivory, an average size, muscular, red head. “May I steal her away for a moment?” He asked, looking extremely nervous and uncomfortable, as if he didn’t want to actually talk to me. Emmanuel gave me a hug and a peck on the lips before he walked away and left me alone with Ivory.  
Ivory nervously stepped forward. He didn’t even smile at me. “I just wanted to tell you that you look really pretty. I’m excited that you’re the bachelorette, too. You seemed really cool last season.”  
I felt a ball drop in my stomach. A couple months ago, I was a contestant on the Bachelor. I obviously did not win. Sadly, I liked the guy enough to tell him I loved him. I even told him my dreams about wanting a family during our dinner date. I guess that scared him away because he sent me home right before hometowns. I was shaken up about it for a little while, but I bounced back quickly, as I always do. That’s why I said yes to coming here. I just would’ve preferred if Ivory didn’t bring up last season.  
“What he did to you was pretty shitty,” Ivory said.  
I nodded my head, wondering why he wasn’t sitting down next to me.  
“I don’t blame you for telling him you want a family.” He said, fidgeting with his hands a bit. “I feel like that’s a normal thing to talk about if you’re considering marriage.”  
Jeepers, why is he still talking about last season? Maybe he’s just trying to be nice and sympathize with me?  
“I thought so, too, but I’m here now,” I said to him, trying to make eye contact. “I’m ready to find my soulmate.”  
He glanced at me quickly before looking down again. “I hope the search goes well,” he said. Then, he walked back downstairs.  
“That was a little weird. Maybe he’s just nervous?” I said more or less to myself, knowing the cameras and mic would pick it up. I stood up, patting my hands on my thighs and walked downstairs, thinking over all of the people I’ve met today. I eventually need to give out the first impression rose. The thing is, I don’t know who impressed me the most. Do I go for Georgiana, Kashev, or Emmanuel? I had good conversations and connections with a handful of these contestants, making the decision a bit more difficult. I decided to keep walking around the mansion to try to figure things out. I avoided the main area, not wanting all those eyes on me at the moment. I was feeling more level-headed after the water and I didn’t want to jump back to the party right away. Instead, I made my way back to the fireplace, standing nearly the warm flames and letting my mind wander.   
“Aven?” I turned quickly, eyes a bit wide. I didn’t hear anyone come in.   
The firelight shimmered off her gorgeous dress, making her shine in the dim lit room. She stood a few feet away, a soft smile playing across her features as she slowly walked towards me, holding the skirt of her dress up so as not to step on it and letting me see her bare feet on the tile. I distantly wondered where her shoes were, and realized that must be why I didn’t hear her, but those thoughts faded as she stood before me.   
“Would you like to talk for a bit?”  
I nodded, still a little dazed by her beauty. She smiled and took my hand in hers, gently leading me over to the loveseat. I was trying to remember her name. It was nearly on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t get it. We sat down, knees pointed in to face each other rather than cuddling. She smiled at me again and brushed her hair behind her ear.   
“I’m so sorry,” I began. “Could you tell me your name again?”  
“Of course! It’s Mi,” she said, and I instantly remembered that god awful interaction I had with her when she stepped out of the limo. The finger guns! I was so embarrassed, maybe that’s why I didn’t remember her.  
“You’ve met so many people here tonight, it’s not surprising you wouldn’t remember everyone,” She said, placing a hand on my knee. She must’ve noticed my discomfort. “I’m pretty bad at names too.”   
I smiled. “Thanks for understanding. I promise not to forget again.” She smiled back at me, gave my knee a soft squeeze, and pulled her hands into her lap. She’s quite stunning, but now that I’m sitting with her one on one, I can see she’s actually quite shy as well. I hope that changes, I’d really love to get to know her more.   
“What do you think of the mansion so far?” I asked, trying to make small talk and make her more comfortable.   
“It’s beautiful,” She said, looking around the room to take it all in. “Everything is just-”  
“Hey, do you mind if I steal her for a minute?”  
We both turned to the voice coming from behind. Again, I didn’t hear anyone coming. What’s with these people? It was Kashev.  
“Oh, yeah, of course,” Mi said, standing up to make room.   
“Thanks,” Kashev said, walking around the sofa to sit with me.   
I was a bit sad to see her go, we barely had time to talk before we were interrupted. But I was thrilled to see Kashev again. My cheeks grew red thinking about our time together earlier in the evening.   
“How’s it been, Darlin’?” He said, offering a dashing grin.   
“Not too bad.”  
“Better now that I’m here, right?” He teased.   
I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t stop the smile from appearing on my face. “Well, you sure are confident, aren’t you?” I teased back. I couldn’t blame him though, he was my first kiss of the night and he’s super hot.   
He laughed, “Only with you.” He threw one arm over the back of the loveseat and brought his other hand up to my face. I closed my eyes and leaned in again. We kept it short and sweet before he pulled back, brushed some hair behind my ear and excused himself, not wanting to take up too much of my time.   
After that I couldn’t help feeling a bit giddy. Too energized, I needed to get up and walk a bit. I went back out to the main room, feeling ready enough to tackle it again, and get some more alcohol, of course. The bar was getting rowdy, the closer I got, the more my eardrums were assaulted by laughter and loud talking. A few more steps and I could see the man at the center of it all: Grey. He had quite a crowd around him as he ordered more drinks and began telling everyone about his thrilling adventures. A handful of contestants laughed around him, while others like Mi and Georgiana stood back, not enjoying the party life, but rather content with their drinks on the sidelines. There was one I noticed I hadn’t spoken with yet. Konstantin sat around Grey, happily listening and laughing along, but much less drunk than the others. I ordered a drink, watching a bit from the sides before everyone noticed me. I took a small sip of my cocktail just as Grey must’ve finished his story. The crowd disbanded and several made their way towards the bar in my direction. Of course they noticed me, so I made small talk and mingled, escaping as they ordered more drinks. I backed up and turned around right into Konnie!  
I would’ve spilled my drink all over him if i hadn’t drank most of it already. Instead, just a small splash hit the sleeve of his jacket.   
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” I looked around for some napkins.  
He gave a small chuckle, “It’s ok, it was an accident.” He looked at his sleeve to assess the damage, placing his glass down on a nearby table. The stain was already setting, napkins wouldn’t help anymore.  
He removed the jacket, placed it over the back of a couch. “I’ll just have to send it out for dry-cleaning. It’s ok. It happens.” I guess he was trying to make it seem not so bad, but I still felt horrible about it. I guess my feelings show on my face too much. He put a hand on my arm and looked me in the eyes. “Do you wanna take a walk?”  
I nodded and we walked outside. There was a small breeze, it felt nice after being in the drunken chaos.   
“It’s nice to get out of the crowd once in a while. Get some air,” he said.  
I could see I faint blush on his cheeks. Is he nervous or is that from the alcohol, I wondered. Then I realized my face probably looks the same, if not worse. I had so much to drink tonight. “How has your night been? Are you enjoying the mansion?” I asked him.   
“Yeah, it’s really nice. Everything is beautiful and better than I imagined it would be. And the people are great, some are better than others though,” He gave me a lingering glance at that part. “But you’ve got a great selection inside.”  
I smiled, this was a pleasant change of pace compared to some of the other conversations. We had nearly finished our lap around the pool at this point, heading back for the doors leading into the main room again. I took a deep breath before we walked back inside. The noise drummed in my ears once again, and Konstantin gave me a hug before joining the party again. I didn’t want to jump right in to the action, but I also didn’t quite want to be on my own, now. I wanted someone to talk to.  
That’s when I noticed a tall, handsome, very dark skinned man standing alone in the hallway. He looked like he was calculating something in his head. I couldn’t remember his name. He didn’t notice me until I was only a couple feet away from him.  
“Excuse me, what’s your name again?” I said with a smile. The man looked down at me. He seemed surprised that I came over to talk to him.  
He gave me a hug that filled me with warmth and comfort. His head landed on top of mine and it was almost like we were puzzle pieces coming together. “My name is Rhys. How’s your night going?”  
He let go of me, but still kept my hand in his. “Not too bad. You’re the last person I’ve talked to. How’s your night going?”  
Rhys shrugged. “Well it could be better. I’m the last person the bachelorette is talking to and she forgot my name.”  
My face flushed. I tried to hide my embarrassed smile. “That does sound like a rough night on this show. That’s what happened to me last season.”  
Rhys raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to bring up last season?”  
I shook my head. “Not particularly, no.”  
“Me neither. You know what would be nice, though? If I got that impression rose.”  
“That would be very nice of me, but do you deserve it?”  
He shrugged his shoulders again. “That’s up to you. It’s alright if I don’t get one tonight. I’m confident I can get many more later on. Let someone else think they have a shot at you.”  
I couldn’t help my laughter. “You really think you’ll get more roses?” I asked him.  
“Well, I would like to get the last one, at least,” he said. “That is how you win, afterall.”  
He pulled on my hand, bringing me closer to him. “Can I kiss you?” He asked me. I had to actually think about it because nobody else asked me that question tonight. It just kind of happened. If anything, Rhys made me appreciate him more. I nodded my head and tipped my head up so I could reach his lips. He was comfortable to kiss, just like he was comfortable to hug. I pulled away and wrapped my arms around him tightly.  
When I pulled away, I winked at him and said, “Thanks for making a good first impression.” Then I walked towards the living room to try to give out the first impression rose.  
As much as Rhys was nice, I don’t think he deserves it as much as others. Kashev only kissed me. We didn’t really talk with each other. Georgiana almost kissed me and she definitely left a strong impression on me, but I think I know who I want to give the rose to.  
I walked into the living room and picked up the boutonniere. I hope I can actually put this on someone, I thought to myself. I looked around the quiet room and all eyes were on me, which made me feel pretty nervous. I looked down at the flower in my hands. “Tonight, I want to give this rose to someone who made me feel better when I was down, and listened to me without judgement or expectations.” Then, I locked eyes with my target and made my way over to him.  
I stood over him with the rose in my hand. My stomach fluttered a little being so close to him again.  
“Emmanuel, do you accept this rose?” I asked him. It felt thrilling to actually be the one giving the roses instead of receiving them. The part of me who always felt nervous last season fell away. I will never have to worry about receiving another rose ever again.  
Emmanuel smiled and stood up from the couch. “I will always accept,” he said. I placed the boutonniere on his black suit jacket.  
Chris Harrison walked into the living room and clasped his hands together. “Alright, that is the end of the cocktail party. We will not be having a rose ceremony tonight. Since there are only twelve of you, we thought it would be fair to let her keep you all and continue your journey with Aven for another week. With that, the first night is done!”  
I sighed in relief and waved goodbye to everyone as I walked out of the mansion with Chris. We walked out to the front together, which was the same place we started.  
“Well, how do you feel?” He asked me. Part of me questioned whether or not he really cared how I felt. His facial expression was confusing and all he did was keep his hands clasped under his chest.  
“I don’t feel too bad,” I told him. I’m pretty relieved that I don’t have to worry about receiving a rose anymore. I’m also pretty happy I don’t have to send anyone home. I believe in second chances.”  
He smiled at me, but it felt more from a place of pity than from approval. “It’s only the first night, Aven. We still have a long way to go before your journey here ends,” He said. “I’m excited to help you on your journey to find love, wherever your heart takes you.”


End file.
